Ishikawa

Specialty: Kaiseki

Kaiseki ryori is Japan’s form of haute gastronomy in which a chef develops an ornate, coursed menu composed of many small dishes based on balance of flavour, colour, texture, and temperature. Its roots in Kyoto are tied to the traditional Japanese tea ceremony from hundreds of years ago. Of course, Tokyo offers many outstanding kaiseki studies, but at the top is Shinjuku’s Ishikawa, a serene three-Michelin-star haunt that plates tastes of old and new. Choose one of the seven counter seats (the restaurant also offers four private dining rooms) to watch chef Hideki Ishikawa assemble nine or so dishes that celebrate whatever local product is in season that day.